The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-07-07
PROHIBITION.
BY REV. w. T. Boiling, D. D.

BY REV. w. T. BOILING, D. D.
The temperance question more and
more forces itself upon the minds of the
people, and has become one of the lead
ing questions Of the day. There is some
questions among the friends of the cause
as to the best means Of bringing about
the end so much desired by all-the utter
banishment of the liquor business from
among us. High license, local option
and constitutional prohibition each has
earnest supporters. l confess myself q
supporter of the latter as the only edec-
tive and the only just means of reaching
the overthrow of the traffic. The traffic
in intoxicating liquor is either right or
wrong. If right, then any legislation
which diferentiates- it from any other
business and stamps it by such process
as an evil thing to be controlled is unjust
to the business. If wrong then the duty
of the government is at once clear. No
sane man will for moment deny it to be
the duty of the government TO protect the
moral as we'll as the material life of the
people, because every government has
vigorously looked after such moral inter.
ests in such legislation as may prohibit
the things which endapger the moral
wellbeing of the citizen. Upon this
ground is all legislation against obscene
literature, gambling and other things
regarded as menaces to the moral life of
the people. Each of these is prohibited,
and only because the government recog'
nizes its duty to protect the moral life of
the masses. What an astounding thing
would it be for the government to propose
to license these things and put a pre-.
MUM on morality! Strangely enough,
however, the proposition is made, and
often acted upon, that though the liquor
traffic is moral evil of such proportion
as to menace the moral life of the people,
the government must not prohibit it, but
license the curse and put the citizen in
peril for revenue. Once establish this
as principle in our government, and we
must put the moral life of the people in
the market to the highest bidder and
reverse every recognized duty of the
government to the governed.
If, then, the question as to the liquor
traffic being an evil thing is admitted,
then the duty of the government to pro-
hibit it is at once clear on the basis of
simple justice. If, apon the other hand,
the business is right, then any process OF
the government to brand it by requiring
it to pay an enormous tax is gross in
justice to proper:and praiseworthy line
of business. Why should the saloon be
charged high license and the man en-.
gaging in it be required to establish
good moral character, while his next door
neighbor, the grocery merchant, is requir.
ed to do neither of these things7 The
simple fact is that the State recognizes
the business of the former as wrong, but
il violation of duty to the people pro-
ceeds to license it.
This view of the case shows that legis-
lation to prohibit the sale of liquor is not
of sumptuary character, but entirely
different from it, and in lieu Of regular
means employed by the State to protect
the morals ofits people. sumptuary law
would regulate what man may or may
not purchase, while prohibitory law set.
ties what he may or may not sell or do.
What man would say what his fellow
should not buy during cholera epide.
mic, but what man doubts the privilege
and duty Of city government prohibiting
the sale of certain thing at the same
time? Prohibition is right because it is
in the line of duty of the government.
When any evil impe-ils the good of the
people, and when the government so far
forgets this duty as 10 license that evil,
it must put duty aside and deliberately
barter the good of the people for gain.
That any law will prevent crime entire.
ly is not to be hoped for so long as man
remains as be is, and hence prohibition
will no. prevent the illegal sale of liquors
entirely. But properly enforced, such a
law may and will be as operative as Law
against theft or murder; and to plead
that it cannot be enforced, and therefore
should not be put in operation, is to sur
render to lawlessness and acknowledge
the helplessness of any government.
There is no doubt of the enforcement
of the law in Kansas, and the people of
that progressive State are more and more
in favor of it every day. The end of
the liquor reign in politics is at hand,
and of the business not far distant. On
with the revolution !-Southern Christian
ADVOCATE.